As I expected, the Dacians have crossed the border and besieged Vicus Venedae.
Kardika sallies, bringing in the reinforcements I sent from Vicus Gepidae last turn.
She soundly thrashes the Dacians.
My slovenly spy is investigating the Bosporus before I invade. Neapolis Scythica is nearly 4th tier! Clearly, there are a lot of Scythians that need killing here.
Next turn, the Dacians invade once more.
Same with the Sarmatians. Nobody likes me...
Once more Kardika sallies from Vicus Venedae.
The Dacians have Bastarnae Mercenaries in their army. These are not your father's Bastarnae.
The Dacian General locked onto Kardika and charged early on. She fled before him, and took him on a Scythian Horse Ride around the city walls.
He has not lost much going into the first turn. His bodyguard's second hit point is still holding up.
By the second turn the Dacian bodyguard is almost gone. They would rout two dead men later and be run down by Kardika.
The Bastarnae, being mere infantry, were then baited, tired, surrounded, and destroyed.
Heroic Victory.
The garrison of Gelonos then sallied.
After a long archery duel, the Sarmatian's Virgin Cavalry came out and charged one of my Horse Archers, who promptly took them on a Scythian Horse Ride.
They routed half way around the city as well.
Heroic Victory #2.
Alkippe had marched forward to the bridge on the Don, as she saw a large Sarmatian army moving up on Gelonos. She wanted to either meet the Scythians in the open, or be able to reinforce Gelonos should that army lay siege as the first did. The Sarmatians saw her and forgot about Gelonos.
Their first army is rather small, but that big army Alkippe was concerned about was approaching from behind the trees on the left.
Alkippe immediately charged across the bridge, with several Horse Archers following shortly thereafter.
They put the first army to flight. But that second army was coming onto the field.
Alkippe brought her women back across the Don to wait for their arrival.
As plains battles always do, it started with an archery duel. However, I concentrated most of my fire not on the Virgin Archers you see in front, but the Virgin Cavalry behind them. I knew the Cavalry would be the first across the bridge, and I wanted to blunt them first if possible.
My plan worked, the Virgin Cavalry routed when they came across.
But the rest of the Sarmatians followed, and I was obliged to give them space.
Their General went after one of my Horse Archers on the riverbank. They fled while Alkippe rode over to intercept him.
She caught up with him, and with the help of a few Horse Archers sandwiched him.
He fled.
Then he was cut down.
The remainder of their army was mopped up at the bridge.
Heroic Victory #3.
Now the main event of tonight's card. Makanyane has crossed over into the Bosporus and laid siege to Neapolis Scythica. A small Scythian army from Chersonesos came up and attacked her, drawing the garrison of Neapolis Scythica into the battle as well.
I want that big hill behind the first Scythian army. So I immediately charge forward with everything I have.
Where did the Scythians get these guys? They might be leftovers from the start of the game. But I would have thought they would have taken casualties from the sieges of Chersonesos and Panticapaeum if that were so.
No matter, Makanyane's guard makes short work of them. Did I mention that her bodyguard is now at 3 gold chevrons of experience? The boogieman has nightmares about her.
The first army's infantry is swept aside by my own.
Then their Virgin Horse Archers are penned in the corner and wiped out.
Now I turn my army 90 degrees to the left to face the second Scythian army.
Just in time to meet them head on.
Their General is sent packing.
He meets his gods in disgrace.
I push my army forward as fast as they can go, and the Scythians begin to collapse.
Soon they completely dissolve.
Victory! I was too close to the map edge though, which allowed many of the fleeing Scythians to escape back to Neapolis Scythica and continue to garrison it. Now I will have to take it by siege.